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THE
ART OF TRANSFORMATIONS
BY PAM DROOG
Andrew Trivers deals in transformations. Perhaps it’s because he
was born a Tennesseean and became a Missourian. But a large part
of his career and reputation, and the satisfaction he derives from
his work as founder and president of Trivers Associates architects,
are based on turning something into another thing: a warehouse becomes
a hotel, a synagogue becomes an arts center, a hat factory becomes
senior housing.
ANDREW TRIVERS,
Trivers Associates |
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“I was always fascinated by the art of architecture,” Trivers says.
He earned a bachelor of architecture degree from Tulane University
in New Orleans in 1969, and received a master’s degree in architecture
and urban design at Washington University in St. Louis in 1973.
He’s been here ever since.
“I felt there was a lot that could be done in St. Louis,” Trivers
says. So armed with his contacts and “the desire to control my own
destiny,” he opened Trivers Associates in 1975. The first studio
was in a Maryland Plaza office building owned by former Mayor Cervantes.
“It was just an 8'-by-10' room and an answering machine and me,”
Trivers recalls. Today the firm employs 35, including architects
and support staff.
In 1995 Trivers Associates moved from the Central West End to 100
North Broadway downtown. “I truly believe in the next five to 10
years, the City of St. Louis will be one of the most exciting places
to live and work,” Trivers says. He attributes that to a “cultural
shift” that’s happening in cities across the country. “People want
the urban lifestyle,” he says. “Of course some people will always
want to live far out, but a certain percentage likes city living,
the lofts, walking to work and sports events.”
Empty nesters and couples without children are behind the movement,
but so are younger people, Trivers says, and that’s driving the
effort to improve the schools—including school buildings. Trivers’
firm has been involved in some notable city—school renovations,
such as the historic Adams School, which combines a school with
a community center in the Forest Park Southeast neighborhood.
Another historic building that Trivers Associates is transforming
for use as an educational institution is the 1884 Old Post Office
downtown. Webster University’s art department plans to relocate
to the national historic landmark, as well as the Missouri Court
of Appeals.
“It’s one of the most incredible buildings downtown, and we’re really
excited to have the opportunity to put it back into service,” Trivers
says. “It’s a very complicated project, involving a complex array
of historic tax credits and other financing. But we’re in design
now and forging ahead.”
The project, Trivers hopes, will lead to reinvestment in the surrounding
areas. “It’s so important for the city to find sustainable reuses
for older buildings,” he says. The Westin Hotel at Cupples Station
is another example of Trivers’ transforming architecture, as well
as the Continental Building in midtown, the Allen Market Lane Apartments
in Soulard, Court Square downtown and numerous others.
“Historic renovation is uncovering what was there,” Trivers says.
“When you renovate you have to be careful about how you impose your
design aesthetic on a building. You need to be supportive to the
architecture and its historic character.”
One of the attractions of historic rehabilitation, Trivers says,
is “the unknown, which makes the work difficult, but fascinating.”
At the Westin project, for example, “we ran into all kinds of things.
Chouteau’s Pond was drained in 1850, but we found the water table
of the original pond below grade when we investigated why there
were foundation problems,” he says. As a result, all the limestone
foundations had to be resupported. “It was very costly, but you
deal with it or tear the building down.”
Though renovation offers a lot of satisfaction, designing a new
building allows the architect “to make more of a personal statement,”
while responding to the environment and the user, Trivers notes.
Some of Trivers Associates build-from-scratch projects include American
Cancer Society lodging facilities in St. Louis, New Orleans, Nashville,
Philadelphia and other locations, the HiPointe Lofts on Clayton
Road, condos on DeMun, Newstead and Forsyth and more.
As head of his firm, Trivers is involved with the conceptual development
of projects and offers input as many progress, “but I don’t get
into the nitty gritty,” he says.
Trivers serves on the national council of the Washington University
School of Architecture, and is finishing his term as president of
the 600-member St. Louis chapter of the American Institute of Architects.
He also serves on the board of Laumeier Sculpture Park and Downtown
St. Louis Community Improvement District and was appointed by Gov.
Bob Holden to the Missouri Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
When there’s any free time left, Trivers enjoys bicycling, walking
and swimming. “I try to exercise,” he says. “I want to keep the
heart beating and it’s a good pressure release, too.” He’s married
to Kellie Trivers and has two sons and a stepdaughter.
As a member of the RCGA’s Leadership Circle and a longtime city
resident, Trivers believes the key to a downtown revival is housing.
“We have to create a good housing environment, and that means renovation
and new construction in the heart of downtown that will put people
on the streets and create a lively urban environment,” he says.
“It’s a slow process, but it’s starting to happen.”
Pam Droog is a frequent contributor to St. Louis Commerce Magazine.
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